To those that started solids at 4 months...

[mljlmr]

What is your feeding schedule if your child started solids at 4 months? DD will be 4 months next week and we are going to start:)

[datallan]

I started Phoebe in baby rice at 11am. I gave 1teaspoon (dry) and made to runny texture. I gave it for 3day to make sure no reaction to it. I then moved it to 1700, and gave her1 icecube pureed pear at 1100am and after 3days added pear to evening rice to give flavor .

Debbie

[Sarahboh]

I started Ella at 18 weeks and I did it a little different. For the first two weeks I gave rice cereal every morning after her bottle. Started with 2 tsp very runny graduated up to 2 tbsp a little thicker. The two weeks got her really accustomed to just having breakfast after her bottle before introducing other new tastes. Once I saw she really took to the rice cereal and really enjoyed her breakfast, as well making her feel fuller and I attribute starting to sleep through the night more. After I started the rice mornings, then I went to giving it to her at supper (about 5:30) 1.5 hours before her bedtime bottle and sleep. Did this for 2 weeks, got her used to dinner meal. This is when she started sleeping through well (10+) hours, just coincidental, I don't know? After I had breakfast and dinner fully introduced which took about 4 weeks total, I started introducing new foods, started then with Oatmeal, then veggies, then fruit, now I am moving on to new things like meat, etc. I introduced in 3-4 day increments to test for allergies.  At 6 months introduced the lunch meal which just consists of fruits and veggies. She is doing fabulous now at 7 months on 3 meals and 4 bottles of 6-7 ounces, and more formula mixed in her cereal.

This is what 2 meals a day looked like at 18+ weeks. The first two weeks I had breakfast at the same time, but didn't have dinner. Added dinner at around 20 weeks. Lunch was added at 6 months.

7:30am bottle
8:30 2tbsp rice cereal, rest of formula
9:00-10:30(11:00)nap
11:00 bottle
1:00-2:30(3:00)nap
3:00 bottle
4:45-5:20 nap
5:30 2 tbsp rice cereal and formula with it
6:30 bath
6:45 bottle
7:00 bed

Hope this helps
Sarah
 

[mljlmr]

Sarah- how much formula did you give with the cereal, also when you started veggies/fruit how much did you give her?  did she have a dreamfeed?

[Sarahboh]

No df as I quit it at about 2 months. It depends how much cereal I was making, usually it was from 1-2 ounces and how runny it was to be. That way I got a little extra formula into her as well. I started the first time with one tsp of veggies (started with them, don't really have a reason why?) at breakfast, then after 4 days moved that veggie to dinner and started a new one at breakfast with the rice. Basically I just kept doing this until I could alternate once they were known to be okay. I moved from 1 tsp to now it can be 1/4-3/4 jar at meals. Let me know if you have anymore questions ;Dsarah

[mljlmr]

youve been a big help. DD has been on cereal on a spoon/bottle since 1 1/2 months, she had reflux. but has grown out of it. I still give her a little cereal during the day with a spoon, but nothing near a meal. She shows all signs of being ready and im excited to start her "fully" on it next week.

Do you think i should start moving her to a 4 hour schedule? she eats every 3-3 1/2 hours, would that matter? she drinks 4-5 ounces each feeding.
Thanks!
jen

[mljlmr]

One more thing, do you think i should continue with the Dream feed or stop soon? She still wakes up around 2-3 to eat, i dream feed her around 9:45-10. When is the best time to stop this? when she starts eating solids at night time? thanks!

[Sarahboh]

Jen
That is great that she has grown out of the reflux as I am sure it was hard seeing her in pain. With the df she is waking up 2-3x night to eat, is that what you are saying? It depends, some keep up with the df until 7m when tracy suggests you drop it, myself I didn't because I forgot a couple days and noticed she slept longer without it. It all depends on your dd, you could try and few days and see how she does without it.

I can see how you are excited to start "real" solids, I was too   See how she does with the solids in the morning, once she is fully on breakfast, try the dinner and she might just go longer because her belly will be pretty full with the rice before bed.

With moving her to a 4 hour schedule, the question is do you think she is ready. The waking a few times a night to eat may be the sign that she needs to move to a 4 hour. How does she nap during the day, would she be able to transition to a four hour easily sleep wise? I am pretty sure she might consume more if you space it out more during the day, but work up to it, don't go cold turkey.

Feel free to PM me if you wanna talk further

[mljlmr]

Yes the reflux was bad at first, i was b/f, but i had to quit when she turned 2 months. She has pretty much grown out of that, so im happy about that. She goes 3- 3 1/2 hours for feedings, she eats 4 or 5 ounces like i said. Her naps vary from 1/2 hour to 1 1/2 hours, and she takes 3 naps a day, usually every 1  1/2 to 2  hours, till around 4 ish or so then she stays up till she goes to bed.  I think ill keep her d/feed till i start her on cereal at night for a few weeks and then gradually take it away. I think shes ready for a 4 hour schedule. what do you think?
Your daughter is so cute by the way.

[Sarahboh]

Thanks, I think she's pretty cute too
I would try to definitely work towards the 4 hour easy as she is 4 months now so probably ready for it. You might find if you space the feeds out more then she will take more at each feeding thus ultimately working towards reducing nightwakings for food. It sounds like she is on the right track!! Ella at that age was up 1-2x night for a feed until I could get her on a good sleep/eat pattern during the day. She was formula fed from 4 months on. It may take atleast a week to sort out until she gets into a good eat/sleep pattern and adjusts her amounts at feedings. I think keeping the df until she starts taking a good amount of cereal and does it 2 times a day. (just my opinion as it worked for me, but others may have other ideas  It will be good since she is used to the taste of the cereal already mixed it with her formula from before.

As well with the 4 hour easy, remember it is a little bit longer between feeds thus the naps need to be longer. I don't use any techiniques for extending naps b/c I have no patience and the times I tried it didn't work. So if I needed for her to have 2 45 minute naps in between feedings that is what I did. Her awake time looks good for her age, ultimately you can try to aim for the 2 hours up 2 hours down, but it may take time if her naps are consistently long yet, it will come!! By 6 months there awake time is much longer and they usually go down to 2 naps and a catnap or just 2 naps.

I am sorry I just realized I am typing so much
Sarah

[mljlmr]

Its hard for me to get her to go back to sleep during naps, after about 45min to 1 hour shes up, i have a 3 year old also, so me trying to put her back to sleep patting her, picking her up, etc. is time consuming, and it got to a point where it would drag so long and fustrate me. I figured soon she would settle into a normal nap routine. With my other daughter i didnt put her on a schedule, which wasnt bad, since i didnt work or have any other children,but this time around its harder! :- I think i will start the 4 hour tomorrow, stretch her time in 15 min. increments. She goes to bed at 7 also, same time as my 3 year old which is great for me. Thanks for all your advice, i really appreciate it and it has helped me alot!:)

[LAR]

Hey there. I started my son on solids at 4 months. He is a large baby... and was eating 8 oz at each feed. I had planned on NOT starting until 6 mo. BUT I think he needed it. He struggled with reflux and cramping, we nursed and I couldn't quite keep up, and he was sucking down his bottles. I started with a little rice cereal in the morning before his bottle. We also moved him to 4/4 at about 4.5 months. This really helped him in regards to eating. Now, we eat solids (cereal, fruits, veggies only) three times a day. I didn't stop the dream feed until he was well established on our 4/4 routine... which was around 4.5 months. No problems with that. I remember the first time we did it... it was on accident. I just fell asleep and he didn't wake up, and neither did I on schedule. I was so nervous he was going to get up the rest of the night I didn't sleep. He was HUNGRY in the morning... but ate at 6:30 or 7... and was fine. I say, once its happened once (even if its an accident) you know he can do it, so we had the confidence to work toward that. I quit nursing about 8 days ago. I miss it, but HE was uninterested and frustrated.  The reflux has stopped along with the cramping... He eats great... now if we could just get him to sleep without night waking!!! . Here is our schedule:

6am- 8 oz bottle
8am- nap
10am- solids (1/4 cup rice cereal and veggies)
11am- 8 oz bottle (only takes 6 oz. sometimes)
12pm- nap
2pm-solids (1/4 cup of rice cereal, veggies, and fruit)
3pm- bottle (6oz)
4pm- catnap (sometimes)
6pm- solids (1/4 cup of rice cereal, veggies, and fruit)
7pm- bedtime bottle 8oz... and sleep

Good Luck. LAR